Chattanooga, TN – Following a four-year
tradition of success in its national efforts, the
U.S. Marshals locally conducted another successful
Operation FALCON (Federal and Local Cops Organized
Nationally) from June 22 – 28. Led by the U.S.
Marshal, Operation FALCON 2008 netted 380 arrests,
including 26 sex offenders, and cleared 688 warrants
within the Eastern District of Tennessee.
Operation FALCON in Eastern Tennessee combined the
collective efforts of multiple law enforcement
agencies in one of the area’s largest-ever fugitive
initiatives, focusing on capturing individuals
wanted on felony charges including sexual predators
and fugitives wanted for crimes of violence. Over
the course of the seven-day operation, Deputy U.S.
Marshals, teamed with federal, state, and local law
enforcement partners, arrested 152 fugitives,
including four sex offenders, and cleared 291
warrants in the Chattanooga area.
A FALCON team based in Chattanooga was searching for
Stephanie Levin wanted for failure to appear on a
forgery charge and probation violation on a battery
charge by the Walker County, Georgia Sheriff’s
Department. Responding to a tip, the team went to
the Econo Lodge on Lee Highway where Levin was known
to be staying. Upon approach to the room, the smell
of methamphetamine was detected. The room was
secured and a Hazmat team was dispatched to the
motel. Four people in the room were arrested for
manufacturing methamphetamine: Michael Weaver,
Kelley Goff, Michelle Frye and Kim Parsons. In
addition to the arrests, $500 in cash was seized
with approximately two grams of methamphetamine, and
enough methamphetamine oil to produce about two
ounces of methamphetamine. Levin was not in the room
at the time, but was located a short time later at
the American Best Hotel also on Lee Highway. A
search of Levin’s room produced two computers, a
printer, and two bags of counterfeit checks which
were seized by the U.S. Secret Service. Also
arrested in Levin’s room was Matthew Jackson, who
was wanted out of Dade County, Ga.
“We are pleased that local law enforcement often
looks upon operations such as FALCON as an
opportunity to address fugitive apprehension issues
in their communities,” said John F. Clark, Director
of the U.S. Marshals Service. “In the end, when this
operation is over, our local partners are the people
who will continue to live and work in the
communities that Operation FALCON serves. We are
committed to leaving behind a safer community for
all of them.”
Operation FALCON in Chattanooga consisted of
approximately 52 federal, state, and local law
enforcement officers, making up six separate arrest
teams working throughout the seven-day period. Each
participating local officer was sworn in as a
Special Deputy U.S. Marshal immediately prior to the
start of this operation. This special authority
empowered them to cross traditional lines of
jurisdiction to track down and arrest targeted
fugitives throughout the week.
The cooperation of law enforcement agencies extended
beyond local and state jurisdictional lines with the
apprehension of James Lee Croft who was wanted by
the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department. Croft was
arrested in the Western District of Arkansas. Croft
was one of a number of sex offender violators
arrested outside the local and state area.
“My main goal is that all law enforcement agencies
in Eastern Tennessee realize that mutual cooperation
is the key to success everyday,” said U.S. Marshal
Jeff Hedden. “The ongoing partnerships built by
Operation FALCON are key factor to that success.”
Agencies contributing to Operation FALCON -
Chattanooga were the Tennessee Bureau of
Investigation, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the
10th Judicial District Drug Task Force, the Hamilton
County Sheriff’s Department, the McMinn County
Sheriff’s Department, the Bradley County Sheriff’s
Department, the Chattanooga City Police Department,
Chattanooga Housing Police, the Social Security
Administration-Office of Inspector General, FBI, ATF,
and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Since its inception in 2005, Operation FALCON has
made over 36,500 arrests and cleared over 45,300
warrants. It continues to be the largest and most
successful fugitive apprehension effort in U.S.
Marshals history.
For more information about Operation FALCON, visit
http://www.usmarshals.gov/falcon08/media.htm.
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